1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an appliance such as a domestic oven with a removable hinged door where the door is capable of moving between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a standard electric or gas cooking oven it is advantageous to have a removable oven door for ease in manual cleaning the oven liner walls of food spillage and grease splatter. For the convenience of the user, it should be possible to lift off the door without the use of tools to disassemble anything.
In the past, the door removal action has taken place when the door is positioned in its partially open BROIL position so the counterbalance spring mechanism is in a static condition.
A prior art U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,737 of George R. Sherman is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This Sherman patent teaches the need for a locking means for locking the pivoted door guide to the stationary support bracket when the door has been removed so that the hinge mechanism will remain in place for receiving the door again when it is to be reinstalled. In the absence of a locking means for the hinge mechanism it might be possible to jar the hinge mechanism loose from its BROIL position and the counterbalance spring would cause the door guide to strike the front of the oven and possibly cause damage to the decorative finish. The locking means of the Sherman patent includes a stop element supported on the distal end of a leaf spring that is riveted in the interior of the door guide.
Another prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,335 of Kermit B. Keeling, Sr. is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This Keeling patent has an important advantage for built-in wall ovens where the oven door is located much higher than the oven door of a free-standing range. The hinge axis of the door is about waist high, and it would be awkward to remove the door when it is in its partially open BROIL position. Keeling employs a slidable locking pin for locking the door guide to either the door or alternatively to the stationary support bracket. The door may be removed only when it is in its horizontal fully open position.
Another prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,542 of James A. White and Peter Nowosielski is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This White et al patent shows a hinge mechanism with a door guide and mating member in the door that is similar to that of the present invention, but it lacks the locking means of the present invention between the door guide and the stationary support bracket.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide the hinge mechanism of a removable appliance door with an easily assembled automatic locking means of the least number of parts for locking the door guide to the support bracket when the door is removed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking means of the class described in the form of a wire clip that does not require a separate fastener means.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking means of the class described with a torsion action that is actuated automatically by the withdrawal of the door from the hinge mechanism.